Does anywhere here have any experience with this newish 7 AM product from Omnia? I can't seem to find much in the way of first-hand reports in the usual places I research equipment. I'm especially interested in comparisons to a 9 or Optimod 9400. I've been looking around at the 9400, but it is still so expensive and we don't need the HD functionality. Also, it was introduced 12 years ago (which could be good or bad depending on how you think about it).

This is for spoken word programming, some of which is less than studio-quality.

I have some experience with the AM Omnia but not the newest one. I use the 9400 at two location one is HD the other is not. Both are sports so you have the spoken word and the phone calls. Adjusting processing usually takes 2 or more days of adjustment, looking at modulation and listening on at least two or more radio's.

My Omnia experience comes from helping a friend out with two stations that use Omnia. In helping the friend I don't have the keys to where the processors are so adjusting over two days while listening is tough. While my knowledge of processing comes into play with both the Optimod and Omnia the controls and layout are different. So what are my go to adjustments on the Optimod are in a different place or may require adjusting in a different sequence with the Omnia.

I will be working with the Omnia again in the next few weeks. Going from an Optimod to Omnia is like driving a car with the wipers, headlight and AC/heating controls in a different place. The gas pedal and brake are in the same place but nothing else is. I just have not played with the Omnia long enough to know exactly where to go in the menu's and adjust to get the sound I want yet. Some of that goes to the adjust and listen, repeat, to really understand what controls or combination of control affects the sound. Analog processors are almost simpler because there are only so many controls in the analog world. When you go DSP the control goes much deeper.

For Spoken word/Sports you don't want the AGC to raise the ambient studio noise or for Sports the crowd noise to jump up when the announcer stops speaking. How the crowd noise versus announcer sounds on a sports station can be an issue (gating and AGC controls). To get the sound of any new digital processor may take up to 5 hours on the first day then at least 5-7 days of listening and adjusting. Setting the digital input on both the Omnia and Optimod does affect when/where the processor starts to affect the audio so make sure you are happy with your input level set up first, then AGC, low end base boost, AGC crossover and so on. Like I said lots of control to go down a rabbit hole with. One thing I do do is listen to all the presets, that's one reason it can take a whole day just getting your input level set and listen to the presets to see if there is a factory preset to work towards the sound you want. For the Optimod 9400 one starting place was a Rock preset. Listening to the factory presets and then looking at how the processor is set up will give you an idea of what the interaction of the controls are. Give yourself at least 16 hours to get any digital processor dialed in if it's the first time trying to get the sound you want. With the depth of control on a digital processor it can take 5 days to get to that sweet spot. Make sure you save the last preset so you can go back to a starting point or last preset before you made the wrong adjustment.

Given the time I do believe the Omnia has the controls to get the sound I want. I just need to get more comfortable with it.

We ordered one for a 1kW station and are running with a loaner Omnia.7 AM right now. We are still tweaking for the sound we want. Working with the Intermediate Level tweaks right now. Lots of customization available.

Why run an omnia or orban processor?
Get yourself a used aphex compellor 323a and a Behringer DSP 9024 multiband. The compellor will keep the audio levels constant and the 9024 has 6 bands with adjustable bandwith. One press on the "master me"
buttonw and your all done! Each band has its own dsp including the limiter. I have 5 in my rack! That's 30 bands of compression and limiting each with a brain of there own cost me under $400 Aus. There is nothing on the commercial marker that can do what I can..